1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a device, method, and program that detect an object. For example, the present disclosure relates to a device, method, and program that detect an object from information, such as an image, in a fail-safe manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Autonomous cars (robotic cars) driven by machines in place of drivers have been actively studied or commercialized in recent years. One of element functions of an autonomous car is a device that detects generic objects (a generic object detection device). A generic object detection device detects generic objects from information, such as an image, transmitted from a camera device, a distance measurement sensor device such as a radar or stereo camera, or the like. Generic objects include pedestrians, vehicles, road signs, buildings, the areas of roads, and the like. The generic object detection device of an autonomous car is required to detect these objects, and the travel controller of the autonomous car is required to control the body of the autonomous car on the basis of detection information from the generic object detection device so that the autonomous car safely moves to the destination.
Accordingly, it is essential to design a generic object detection device in such a manner that it can safely cope with an abnormality that occurs therein. Such a design is called a fail-safe design. Fail-safe is to control a device in the event of an abnormality so that safety is always achieved, and a fail-safe design is one of reliability designs. That is, a fail-safe design assumes that a device or system will inevitably fail.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014-21709 and 2008-47991 are examples of the related art.